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Correspondence, Levi Syphus to Sadie George

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Creator: Syphus, Levi

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1925-07

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This folder is from the "Correspondence" file of the Sadie and Hampton George Papers (MS-00434)

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man000344
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man000344. Sadie and Hampton George Papers, 1874-1944. MS-00434. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/d1jh3dd9t

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<4* »-.? • t . Mrs Sadie B.George Los Angeles,Cal I St .T homa s, Neva da July 4th,1925 Dear Madam xours 27tli ult. Just in from trip in hills account oC which 1 missed Mr retry's v& re saying engineer could not come b y 28-th |and \ii ich wire was answered by Mr erkihs, I fear in such manner as wiii-itave ^r Petry in doubt as to being pro teched in com­mission. in my last wire to him I limited time to 28th account of for severall days, and did not want him to abseehce expecting to be away arrive during, hr Petry signed his tOlegsems ”¥.POtry” and did not give his office a dress, whibli fact, because of . some • peculiar things that have occur ed since v/allcersoption was cancelled,left some question in my minded as to whther the wires were from Petry or wht.her or not others were not Useing the name to get the property tied up without, cash naymeht, or to get a loose promise of commission from me,under which they couls later come inwit h a claim; For all of jwhioh* reasons my reply I to Hr Petry;were- rather vague,under the hope that the situation would soon develop in such way as to clear itself up; Them,to, I was at camp at the magnesite when the wires came and they did not reach me very | romptley. Whether or not Petry has parties on his own accoubt,or whether the Timmons Walker crowd,acting through him,are moving; to again acquire the -.property' I do not know,and it is immaterial tp us if they cone to,a deal and put up the cash. I do not know Mr Petrys actress,therefor I wish you to call him on the phone and deliver the following message, (aftermaking such exxslantion of delay in telegrams etc. as may.,Seem n eceosary.): ~ The magnesiteproperty is for sale,and is free ^Tiid clearj|of berance, but a, deal on it might be had with others most any tim^, 1 for. which reasons I wish Mr Petry,when the engineer to whssah he referred, is ready to come on, to wire me to that effect together with the da-fe upon which he will arlve here,and if thqfproperty® is then feree of encumberance ( aiid 1 will, try and keep it so),I will telegraph him to that effect,and if so the property will be held untill date given for engineers arrival, proViiiiii^it, is a dSte; And if upon the engineers arrival he presents me,-With a lettep of introduction from Mr Petry, which said letter must also -gite the , name and adress of '.the'' engineers principle fdh 'whom#"Uie is making' the examination and who it is expected will purchase the property, aril if said principle,so named,does thereafter, purchase it then in | that event % Petry will be paid a commission of per cent on hhe purchise price,or .price., for which we sell to,him,said commission to be pro rated upon and paid from tiie various enstallmqnts ofthq said purchass price as the same are made, to us. The engineers comming to be at Iris own cost and expense. We are not nameing them a price in advance of the engineers arrive1 ana inspection of the deposit,for the reason that we do not know ss to the financial responsibility of the proposed purchaser and do not consider it good police to be quoting price promiscouslesr. If representations rned by the engineer regarding the proposed purchaser are satisfactory to us we will name him a price that is reasonable and also'allow time for the proposed purchaser to come on and close d eal| that^sueh time asllseems to us sufficient, but no extensive time will be allowed',nei thei* will the property be tied up,excepting for very breif period, wi-tho Jit cash payment. Also say to ip Petry,that if engineer is comning we would like him to come as soon as possible. Also,that the,property is a very much larger one than represented in Hr Talmages report, and. aside: from the value of the material forgather purposes,that-as a magnesite proposition alone ther^rXs ilfmhtantial values,undOr' the presenff ~Bicc of magnesium product.#.^®:? sag les^tlian 6,000,Gd6,De0,00- ?S3 Pita itley fefwStefe. iHH St.Thomas|Nevada July 6th,1925 Dear Madam Am just in receipt of the following telegram from Walkerftopwit: "Pelham,N . Y ," "Levi W.Syphus,St.Thomas,Nevada" "If no change in your situation and you are ready to do Business I expect to leave for Mevada on friday arriving in St.Thomas tuseday l'4th,appreciate^ your telegraphing me how matters stand". "David 3.Walker" Expect to send the folloing answer | Have flattering offers for property hut we are disposed to hoi a it clear of encumbex’anoe untill 14th inst stop if you arrive here on said last date we should he able t o do business" "Lev i W.Syphus" Before this you will have received my letter and message to Mr Petrey• I do not know whether .or not he will now kave engineer come on, hut if we do not cfenge our minde about the above reply,we will,of course have to notify him the property is tied up,if he wires to finde out as per my litter, or message to him through your letter In that case J wish you would finde out all you can from h inland about now much they will be willing to pay for the property jgtc. That is if they seem disapointed and anxcious to come. You might : incident ley tell them,&M;(if they are very anxcious upon receipt of the reply I will have fro sfndf) "That it is your opinion,that if they would be willing to p a y say $300,000,00 for the property} $25,000 down and the balance^in installments over a period of three or four years, they wuld get the property, And that if the^r .care to come right on, in spite of what I will have to wire,you think tlier^ will be little doubt but what' they will get it and that^they should so come and see iis and we dead immediatley witlr Walker and not them, you will allow them $100 on their expense of the trip". Then should you have to pay it,that is because of our dealing with Walker, I ,-and I .think my associates will help you pay it. You see if we met them and knew they wanted the property,and possibley might gLve or make a deposit to get it, we would know just how saucy to be with Walker,and might get better^ terms than we would otherwise risk standing for,and of course might turn them d o w n and deal with your people,or that is with Petrys crowd. am writing the above on the run with the prespiration pouring of me and know it is not very coherent,and b o s s , bley is-not fare, you .can judge of that and deside for yourse ixy what to do. Hastley yours MrsL osS aAdnigee lBe sG,eCoarlg,e Mrs LoSsa dAieng eBl.eGse,oGragle. St.Thoj |mas,Ne vada, July lQth,l925 Lear Madam i- Something like a week ago I wrote you somewhat explanitory of the reasons why Mr Petry:s telegrams hacTnot “been given more direct and definit at tt'ntion,and also included a message for you to deliver to him. I now have your card from Gro Granda informing me of your presence there,andin estimating the time I assume you did not get my letter "before 1 eaving for that place,and that Mr Petry has not receivedthe message I sent. A frw days ago I again wrote informing you of Walkers telegram and of my probable reply thereto,which latter i modified somewhat, and also su gested to you certain proceedure in the event Petrys people ^ e realley interested.. Both of these letters you will no doubt receive upon your return home and about the time you receive this one. I have had no further word from Walker and do not know'whether or not he will be here, but think it possible he might ,altho his wire smacks of the same bluff he lias used in so many others that have not materalised. ©tir associates here , out of consideration of the fact that they have already made one payment, are inclined to resume the deal with them if they will put up the cafeh, I assume that you will he able to get in communication *ith Hr Petry about Monday or tuseday,which I suggest that you do and deliver my first message to him,but do not tell him the property is involvedj Tell him that I will be home wensday morning and therefore would receive a telegram from him at that time if he wired and that if his parties are still interested to let me know iiuraediatley. §-f he complains about our not having a £rdce —te ltlh e hiprmi cite "§sibi4n { * St .Thomas, Nevada July 15Hi ,1925 Mrs Sadie E. George Log Angeles,Oal. Dear Madam Yours receivee« Your land matter a little conpl.ecatd and have not time to enter into explanation of it today, but expect to within a few days, perhaps day after tomorrow. How for a little newsji / Saturday eavnihg last i reed ved a wire from UcLaclon,Timmons and Stewarts attorney,Asking if he CD uld talk with me in St.Thomas the following morning and would I meet him at Moapa,also to wire-his expense; , Thereupon I irainecliatley wired "Yes” and next morning hired a car and want to Moapa to meet him,but he did not appear and havre had no word from him. Mr Walker failed to appear last night, but about.Noon to day I received a telegram from him saying in substance this: | Mrs Walker’ ill have been expecting day by day to leave and wire you from train while in transit, but could not leave. ’Jill let you know as soon as I can," have just sent him the following wire:- | Encumbered the p roperty this morning before I received your wire |. Rather cold blooded,but perhaps they will now either q.uit mr try to do something. Be discreet when the h os Angeles, bunch gets after you. You will recall my 'writing you that I had reason to believe the smelter propie had gotten hold of the very effective -process that I believed had been developed. I now have reason to beleive they have not,and that it is a wonderful1 process in very deed, or else a man whorae I esteem very highlry has been very 'Hadley deceived. So wondcrfull in fact that it,if true ,will not cost anything scarcley to tujfii out the metel from our ore,or any other magnesite. In fact so a m p l e and cheep, that it can be produced at very low cost from any old dolomite, and there in lies the danger to us,if true. Therefore we thought we better get on the best deal we could and get out. Therefore we this p morning gave thirty days time to the particular freind ,whome I think knows what he is talking about, or else is very teri’ibl ey miss-led^, in which to sell the deposit for the sum of $250,000, $25,000 down and a like sum every three months thereafter untill the whole sum has been paid. |*<" to receive 10 per cent,or $2 5,000 for make-ing the deal. Have sent M m th.e 'papers,but have to wire him to proceed before it is effective. Which we are all of a minde to cb . We feel that the information he gives is veryI probabley true,and if so this is our place to get out. Vfire, your cxpence,imnodiatley If you do not wish- to join in the dei}, otherwise I sliall rely on your 'past statment,that you would :join in what lire thought best to do. Sliall be very sorrey if it develops Mr Walkers wife is ipp sell your- land allright* S t. T homa s, H eva da July 22nd,1925 MLross ASnagdeilee sB,. GUeaolr*ge Dear Madam r- Received your letter j.astnight and note what you have to say about Fetry and others, Also your question as to whether or not it”was wise to give my frd&nd 30 days” , I an still of the minde that it was, fro:: the fiact f'jthat he seemed to be in position to connect up the process, (which he and another particular friend of mine had seen jin operation on our product) with tie property, If that jljis true ,then we did a wise thing, providing he can get-the two together, hut if not perhaps not. II have letrey*s letter requesting a 60 days option, and |; I dontfknow wh ether or not they are in position to get ; contact with a process or not. If they could not,then at |the end of 60 days they would report to us that the ua terial | ® uld not he used,as so many scores of others with tfiome I I'have had it up with have do ne. So haveing’done what seemed for.the best,I suppose it will turn out so,altho,at times : it is difficult to see where the best comeein. But then live land learn# j- Herewith I enclose quit-claim running from yourself to me j I since 3011 lave expressed a preference to have it that way, I Please signe and acknowledge and return it to me with out delay,and I will get matters straightened out as soon as |>ossii>le, Get it mailed to me on the 24th,if you can,but not later than the 25 in an;/ event if you can help it# | The agent of the proposed purchasers wired me yesterday Jthat they would put up the $472 guranteeing that they |would conclude the deal as soon as title cq uld be supplied, land if not the $472 would be forfeited to m e . I expect fa statment from the bank tomorrow or next day,together with a copy of Ids instructions given the bank when the oney is put up, duly certified by said bank. If this all i;works out as it now seems it will,I will be able to go In affright. May It Do So, for it is sure putting a crimp ii n me,not only financl alley,but more so,because of the murrey I as to whether or not I will be able to clear myself from I the reputation of being a crjHNsk, I mean in the mindes ]; of honorable people. Am much hurried and must d ose, hoping y ou will give the matter of the deed your inmedLate attention I I rmaiin I Mrs EadieB.George Los Angeles,Gal. Ij Dear Madam Your hurried note receive d,anl contents duly noted. It is simpley. amazing,the representations som people | will make. I certaihley .advise against your going to | see the said Engineer,as invited,f*<r reasons I explained |after your last interview at a certain off ice ,where I my virtues were extolled,aces ording to your report* I have I no ob jection whatever,to yotr having said engineer call ! to see p u,either at your IiQise or elswhere than their ' I if you lm-ve some other reliable person with you, | ouid parties are desperate an, if they d||iought they could a] nvolve you so as to lava a case against you if you dolt [with others,some of them'at least would not hesitate to i do so by mis ere presentation , is my opinion, I may be liwrong, however,it is wiser to take no chance* iCertainley I feel badley for their losess,such as they | lave sustained and there is no akiht they lavs done a lot j:of work,of a kinde. But the lady certainley missrepresentdd i thing? to you. They lave had no sembelence of a cl aim since about the middle of last April, It has just.been one [’representation after another from N .Y . aid non of them have lb een kept,r, just on a par with a certain genyleraans visit ?fo Moapa, I have all of the corrispondence and will show iyou when I come down. S t • Thoma s, M evach July 23rd, 1925 [Talk of waiting for a certain N.Y. Gentlemen to be out of the [way. 1 have three separate comnunioations from tip lady |stating emp.haticalley, sir did not' think i t ' possible ..for !him to utterley fail,and that they could do thinge but [did not want to. double cross .the N.Y.Man. Looks as if they, [were trying to get ham out of the way tb sent it,in tie face of such statHB rits* I fed sure the gentleman who failed Jto meet me in Moapa,the lady and the N.Y partey are all [working hand in hand,an- that their represen tations are just a play to hood wink us. They sim pley thouglt we could not sell L o others and that it would be safe to tarry and luild up :gor tie soverall million dollar deal ,with.out [anything extray for us., mi cl would keep us waiting unt ill It hey were goodand ready,* I have the N.Y.Hans telegram sayin Ihe would' la. ve financed, but that she objected,an cl just a lot |of other t liingp ,thafc has made me gp od and tired* [Sou; time after the deal was cancelled,she wrote and ask me | die Status of the deal, can you boat it* I toll Imr plainley fall their rights were gon because of failure,and why, But .did conaudedby saying?we had no objection to dealiig with I them, providing we od uld eg rce on price and terms before Ithe property was other wise encumbered" more thaii two month ago, and have had only mlssrepresentations a n c , hell I we did not deal with them before the -property was other m. e lencumbered, nor did we agree on price or terras bef ore such fencumberance. {about ten days of the thirty are up,aid if no 1'of it, and these parties can show us they have itxhnef else raone: CCBO S 1 to Wm up on a satisfactory deal,they can of course © m e bad Iko far as X am concerned,if pric fphose chemists. Excuse haste right, Ho_ ruly yo urS y o u catcj I willadd,however,while on the subject of magnesite,that if we are'prudent we.will; not want to large a sumyfor ilie reason,that if’;$$£©< process is a reality,as my friendbelieves and assures me it is, It is so simple ,so effectito ,and so cheep,that magnesite can be taken in su&i abundance and at such low cost from so inany other sources, that we will be wise to do redsonabloy well and let it.go at that* If B can dig u p .the $35,000 at the end of the thirty days-,we here1will’”b'e very pleased, but if not,and he asks for more tine 1 think,in that event,we will; be wise to toye than demonstrate- the process, to us q.uickley, then- af ter seeing it .we canbetter judge of the situation. For if itiis real! it is the thing for us to tie to, if we fincXe It is not then we can b h:st judge v/hat to do . It is possible,-fi at-.Petry -is not the int®*- mcdiary for the other peol.nle at ell, if not,we?'?'wi.ll hear Someth­ing from them before long. How in the matter of the land deal, I am inclosing, you* herewith an affidavit Which I wish you to signe and .acknowledge and return to me as quickley as possible,for theY-purpose of-" being used in connection with the title showing I have to make. You s e e d agreed,f§hen X gave .the option on your landto .supply an unlimited cCertificate of title, and on accout thereof,the parties are demanding that I have search made of the Federal .Court and Incoxarae taX re cords, to "show there'ishothing against either' of us there that would encianber the title. -I have -refused this ,a m offered to supply. af f idasr its by each of us,Go lift .effect that we have never ' been invo Ived in litigation before those courts and are not delin­quent in payment of income tax. Ihc/diuve .• practical ley agreed to accept such affidavits. Therefore I wish you would ,after fillingjbhis out;actress it to me at Las Vegans,in time for it to reach me on tlie 30th inst, if possible,but not later than the 31 sfe in ^hy,; event. date the .agent for the proposed P h r e h a s e r n o t put up> tie monevvgurant eeing1 the pur t0 •CS5 if they.'fail to buy^t ie .strength of. gurantee to pay the co unt for ?nr osc oing; to do so. In Hi at case 1 you will permit me to record the 1 audit's if ; 4U- G?.rea11oy was he purchase of-'the ranch w be rorrexte y.as I had hoped they would, $0 that up ranfee I oould borrow the $472*require orf eitecl on }required impose of clearing title, andfiStf not s ing it, uni e s s. ,and 'then mortgf w ye =e= xng l can -i xndo some one ,m advance the mortgage m s securi' 7h/dt Then if I inortgaged^.dL-eared title an loan r, proviti­the money and take the sale should then fail the title to the limd would be in me,and the reoo rds would also show it .plastered with a mortgage,and where would you get off ar deal, in hi at ca; would;immedia-tley gi-ve. you my personal $800.00- payable;in one years time and ctrawig' i n t note in -the sum pi i nterest at '-'Six per cent, per apnum, payable quarterley* If those p arties ifuil to put up the guarentee ® . that I can yet the money to c lear title , 1 06 uld like to take tito ?above proceedure a n use the I and .’as collator^. , st> that I can diear title, and plaothe deed and c ertificate of title, in ]&/$ esc row- in the Los Angeles bank, giveihg them a chance to complete the deal,if can escape the . law sui1 they will. fa r damages that will f® y cioxng this I brought against ine for failure to Keep my aaontradt. Possibley I ..will not "be aisle to raise tin ,'tioney "by, gLvhbg t&ie land,and such other security as I can supply ,V in fiat; case I xyill have' to stand the suite: atid be liable, for whatever it: ® sts witli t te 'Vfl£tma.ges .that .fill- t awarded, .and-in addition, the title die your land’will still "be involved, and 'If will be so badleyTient,financial ley, tliat it to uld to a long time oof ore I .could *^^3'reinburse you that you paid me. 1 think, that if I can get the title-:, all eljO^red, th at if the agent does not place the land/inmnci atley,. th at 1 can satisf y : him in some way,a'ndfthatr he wi 1 1 b able to sel 1 it . within the year,and from .the -proceeds'I could pay ay note to you and also clear the mortgage,f or; some m e r e so nearley’Vt;hat I © uld make up . the -balance from other Sources. I therefore, request, that bn the 3utii ins t 50.11- wL- re me Nevada , care Nevada Hotel, sbyingyallrightyif 30 tm:f eel allow me to record tic deed and mortgage' the -land, bu simplcy say» proposition declined?'Send die wire my ex I would like to get it the first thing in the morning- ,at Las Vggas that 30 u can t if not, f c If yo u grant, the '-:privkige and I £L nde X can raiset die- money I will, in. that event, at once send you pl-oper note in- the sum o f ; $800.0-0- bearing interest ’-at fix per cent,payable qnarterlcy,and tin note payable at the end of one year. LeT ore X 1 sell a lady a peice of gland. again Mi siIjnll certainley be sure that the title is good,and I advise that you know that it . is . before. ;you-hgdih purchase a peice. I Had' never looked into the question of .redeeming land from tax deliiiquenci es, aiid • did not know but what it oo uld be .dome at any time^«^-<sy**^/“y Should you allow die recording of the dbed,and I fail to sell the land wl t hin hiie-'year, I l-aiow some ..parties in Kevada ,Who have , a. magnesite deposit and if they shouldsell it I might... get the monoy:; from idem (?) .' theref ore,you see, -th-erem jre&l'ley' would be sene chance: of ny paying ike note to yeti in-air oven,. la , ha, ha. When you f indeyourself in a tightgplace-, fihanciali ey,;; it. helps, some io 1 augh. 11 But What is the difference-G:ra Hundred fears From'$owtt. If 30 u get any information’from the bunch, I As lhings- are-; looking1 I -think there is ', no- qu will .la ve a sale ^ktcL uded,with- one ^pahi y or cf S opt ember, a ncL po s si bile y within ; the next. immons, a,:.vise me. estion but that we the other by h e end three weeks. St.Thofeas,Sor a&a July 26th,1025 ili-s Sadie B. George § Los Ange1 e s, Cal. Dear : 'Madam: - ! Received yours , with, deed encibosaci last night. Replying to dyour question, of "whether or no| I' had informed | ... "" .. ...................... .... ..............-.. A^r^tid If ? he is ,:| p i “ence ib.r her' crowd, set' up byf the Breaker ,whQv is- . • Inteitiediary, which I think isdthe; case, I^ctry will have conveyed ?'to the Broakeh,and lie to Urs timraons, ap^uppositien. that X . expressed dto Pctry in my letter, which wasf to the effect, That I thefeght' itn quite' probable.the property would he free and open to deal in, about ''thirty days, and h|s parties had '.better he ready for quick action, etc. If Petry .is the fence, that statmentv will,as:I. stated, 'havehreached her thrbugh-the breaker,?and therefore, if he is the, fence, &irs^..vT^mio»S';'w:iilp^0.t Site to see me ,and perhaps will nothin ve "very Kittch to say:, to you ,after,in.her fifst excitmenh over news of the enaimherance, exposeing io yGurtwhaf a big proposition ' they had” for fear of our raising'the^^ price ton ;them./It wouldbe in harmoney with their policies- to,by; her- silence,let us suppose they Had lost interest, in order that a ’hett6r deal night he made- . through the Penc ?i’etry. . Therefore I lliinl: we need not he at all uneasy.' if there is a 'profound silence in their direction during tie couibAne^i few weeks,unless it shall he an intimation that they had _ _ h i .. _ n .. _ n t i _ i _ _• i i u J A! 7 : u i f - . 1 . . - .1 i . — _ It is not at al 1 sure, that- our p.artey w£3r f||il, Ip am’ sttre he will not,if they realley haveytlie process he claims, hut he might desire a littl more time,as S ^ C s very short. Should he desire such additional time and nothing: better is in sight,d¥e will likley fAI'/d it to him, upgn Tcondition that, he will have. the chemist take some of the ore^xn our presence, aaiconvert it into the motel . If they can and will: do that, I know it is our 'best hot,an 1; more M - kley to: jfrring us;our full sum of the, selling price than an other, ???.For instance, undet ;the scheem -disclosed to .you by her, they will want to pay us only a fe^thousands down,while perhaps' they will receive thousands .for;' th&is elves, and we will “thereafter get a it tie along while: the- concern is milking the public out of millions f „ u Eyes open anl'onr ear close to the ground'd Bvery thing considered |o dat.e,- and heoause of the cliscl ostires|*that have come, it is a good thing we enciuahorecyphe .property. I x r i l l add to, that I now have a very earnest and interesting enquirey from some;substantial! parties Who wore negotiating for the profert- two years ago. Go if -our ---------- . . „ ^ _ _ / - - - ? $ now dropped the proposition and taken 'up with other properties^ -see-. present party fall